Judaism, Islam, Christianity
What do Christians, Jews, and Muslims have in common? The three world monotheisms, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, all believe in the Genesis account of creation; the first humans in the Garden of Eden; and the fall of humanity when Adam and Eve disobeyed the Creator. The rest of the world calls the Adam and Eve story a myth; not compatible with science on the emergence of the human species.
Two naked people, a talking snake, and a fruit tree with special powers. An analogy, a tall tale, or a literal story to show and tell how God’s children choose the knowledge of good and evil and disobeyed? But the crux of the story focuses on human freedom—the freedom to make their own choice. But God also outlined the consequence of their choice—death.
Enter the Bible,

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Proverbs 19:20 (The Israel Bible™)
President Reuven Rivlin (center) with Christian religious leaders at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. (Credit: Mark Neiman/GPO)
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosted Christian leaders on Thursday at a traditional New Year’s reception.
“Our sovereignty over Jerusalem will never compromise the freedom of worship and religion of all peoples of faith in Jerusalem and in all of Israel,” he told the leaders from the Christian communities at his residence.
“Today, it is a place of pilgrimage for growing numbers of Christians from all over the world,” added Rivlin. “As you know, the State of Israel is working to clear the landmines still in the area and to

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates. Zechariah 8:16 (The Israel Bible™)
(Credit: Breaking Israel News)
The mainstream media was quick to jump on news predicting the pre-Messiah battle of Gog and Magog, with many outlets misstating facts and misrepresenting the important theological concepts. But Rabbi Pinchas Winston, the victim of this “fake news,” saw the hand of God, using their errors to spread a true message.
Rabbi Pinchas WInston (Courtesy)
On November 12, Breaking Israel News (BIN) published an article titled, “IDF: A Special Army Preparing for Gog and Magog.” The article quoted former Chief Rabbi of the IDF Rabbi Rafi Peretz, spokesman for the nascent Sanhedrin Rabbi Hillel Weiss, and the

Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” (Genesis 23:1-19)
Jewish men outside the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. (Credit: Lerner Vadim / Shutterstock.com)
Joint List and Meretz Knesset members will host a conference at the Knesset next week calling for the immediate expulsion of Jews from the ancient city of Hebron.
“The settlement in Hebron is the expression of an extremist government policy that pours mass sums of money and endangers

“Observe them faithfully, for that will be proof of your wisdom and discernment to other peoples, who on hearing of all these laws will say, ‘Surely, that great nation is a wise and discerning people.’” Deuteronomy 4:6 (The Israel Bible™)
(Shutterstock)
“There is currently a surge in the publication of books that convey Torah teachings to the non-Jewish world, and such literature is being published at an ever-increasing rate, for one good reason.
“There is clearly a massive appetite and yearning among the Nations to understand what the Jews are really about, and to hear from them and understand what the Torah has to say about God’s unfolding plan for the geula – the imminent redemption of the entire world.
“This remarkable phenomenon of the awakening of so many holy

Let them lick dust like snakes, Like crawling things on the ground! Let them come trembling out of their strongholds To Hashem our God; Let them fear and dread You! Micah 7:17 (The Israel Bible™)
A coin snake. (Credit: Flickr/Screenshot)
A snake wriggling out from between the stones of the Western Wall in search of a meal brought with it a message straight from Jewish mystical teachings; connecting the archetypal enemy of man with the High Priest in the Temple, and also, perhaps, serving as a harbinger of the Messiah.
Women who went to the Kotel (Western Wall) on Wednesday were shocked to see a snake crawling out from between the ancient stones. The Coin Snake, common to the region, is not venomous but it is similar in appearance to the deadly viper also found in Israel. The snake was

For a stone shall cry out from the wall, And a rafter shall answer it from the woodwork.” Habakkuk 2:11 (The Israel Bible™)
Rain in Jerusalem (Photo: Miriam Alster/Flash90)
A remarkably unseasonal downpour drenched parts of Israel, leading many Jews to turn their eyes to heaven in search of understanding: was this a blessing or perhaps the opposite. As Joshua Wander watched the rain fall on the Temple Mount, the conclusion he came to was decidedly uncomfortable.
Israel is an arid country with about 70 percent of the average rain falling between November and March. June through August are often rainless. This is reflected in the daily prayers in which the prayer for rain is inserted at the end of the autumnal holiday of Sukkoth and continues until the spring holiday of Passover.

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Is it worth debating people if you can’t change their mind?
Over the years, I have often heard atheists pose the question, “What kind of evidence would it take you to give up your Christian belief?” In many cases, the assumption behind the question seems to be that the Christian should have some clear threshold of evidence in mind. And failure to state what that threshold is would call into question the rationality and intellectual seriousness of the Christian.
Atheists aren’t the only ones posing this kind of demand. I recently came across a similar view expressed by Christian apologist Max Andrews in the following tweet:
“When dialoguing with your interlocutor, ask them, ‘What must obtain so that your position be changed or that you’re

(SCREENSHOT: WBKO)Pastor Ryan Broers of Cave City Baptist Church in Kentucky.
A Kentucky pastor who purged the rolls of his church of members who he says have been attending church poorly, is now coming under fire for how the now fuming ex-members say they were delisted.
Cave City Baptist Senior Pastor Ryan Broers told WBKO he was trying to send the delinquent members of his church a “wake-up call” when he sent them delisting letters this week.
“A lot of the people that the letters were sent to are not attending church anywhere, and this was kind of a wake-up call to them ‘you’ve broken fellowship with God, you’ve broken fellowship with this church, you need to come back and repent and get your relationship with Him.'” Broers said.
Samantha Esters,

(PHOTO: REUTERS/STRINGER)Christians attend Sunday service in the Virgin Mary Church at Samalout Diocese in Al-Our village, in Minya governorate, south of Cairo, May 3, 2015. Copts have long complained of discrimination under successive Egyptian leaders and Sisi’s actions suggested he would deliver on promises of being an inclusive president who could unite the country after years of political turmoil. However, striking out at extremists abroad might prove easier than reining in radicals at home. Orthodox Copts, the Middle East’s biggest Christian community, are a test of Sisi’s commitment to tolerance, a theme he often stresses in calling for an ideological assault on Islamist militants threatening Egypt’s security.
A Coptic journalist has detailed her frustration